UH-NEOMED Scholars recognized

Congratulations to the seven students and 30 faculty members who were honored as UH-NEOMED Faculty and Student Scholars during a special presentation on January 28 at NEOMED.

The honorees are recognized for their outstanding achievements and their commitment to representing the core values of both University Hospitals and NEOMED. Certificates of recognition were presented by NEOMED President John Langell, M.D. and Daniel Simon, M.D., president for academic and external affairs, and chief scientific officer, University Hospitals Health System.

UH-NEOMED FACULTY SCHOLARS

The Faculty Scholars program recognizes outstanding NEOMED faculty who have demonstrated a commitment to at least two of the three domains of University Hospitals’ mission: “To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.”

The 2025 UH-NEOMED Faculty Scholars are:

Kristin R. Baughman, Ph.D.
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Natalie J. Bonfine, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor of Psychiatry Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine

Samuel D. Crish, II, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Associate Professor of Specialty Dentistry
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Lisa Noelle Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Christine M. Dengler-Crish, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor of Specialty Dentistry

Feng Dong, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor of General Dentistry

Bernhard A. Fassl, M.D.
Professor College of Graduate Studies
Professor of Pediatrics

Jessica M. Ferrell, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies

Rebecca L. Fischbein, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies

Sheila Fleming, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Alexander V. Galazyuk, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Stacey Gardner-Buckshaw, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Graduate Faculty I College of Graduate Studies

Paul J. Hartung, Ph.D.
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies

Takhar Kasumov, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Yong Lu, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Jeffrey G. Mellott, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Vahagn Ohanyan, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies

Moses O. Oyewumi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor and Chair

Priya Raman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Integrative Medical Sciences
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Erin Reed-Geaghan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Assistant Professor of Specialty Dentistry
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies

Merri J. Rosen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Fayez Safadi, Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies
Adjunct Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Margaret B. Sanders, M.A., LSW
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Graduate Faculty I College of Graduate Studies

Brett Schofield, Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Woo Shik Shin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D. (’17)
Graduate Faculty II College of Graduate Studies

Randon S. Welton, M.D.
Professor and Chair of Psychiatry

Bradley Winters, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology

Jesse W. Young, Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies

Ping Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Watanakunakorn Chair of Integrative Medical Sciences
Graduate Faculty III College of Graduate Studies
Professor of Surgery

UH-NEOMED STUDENT SCHOLARS

The Student Scholars are chosen for their outstanding commitment to the missions of University Hospitals and NEOMED. University Hospitals strives “To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.” NEOMED aims “To harness diversity, innovation and collaboration to create transformative leaders and to improve health through education, discovery and service.”

The 2025 UH-NEOMED Student Scholars are:

Mirjavid Agayev
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Noah Aguirre, Pharm.D. (’24)
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Laila S. Almassri, P3
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Andrea Arias Alvarado, M.D.
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Trae Hillyer
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Miljan Terzic, Pharm.D. (’22)
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Nada Warda, M.B.B.Ch.
Ph.D. candidate, Basic and Translational Biomedicine

Congratulations to the 2025 UH-NEOMED Scholars!